Palm Sunday meditation

See, your Saviour comes,
meek and lowly of heart,
not on a charger, armed for war,
nor on a thoroughbred, nervy and proud;
but on a donkey's colt.

A colt, unbroken, yields willingly.
The crowd recognises a different kind of power
and responds, "Bless David's son,
our promised restorer, among his people
given honour."

Yet the challenge of this meekness
is so great, unsettling all the worldly
hierarchies:
Resistance foments, insinuates, whispers,
"Did God really say you must not
grasp at power?"
The age-old temptation is re-spoken
and only One can counter its
sickening effect.

Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.

Have mercy on our weakness, our willingness
to hear those threatening thoughts.
Have mercy on our choice of force over
submission.
Redeem our nature, body, mind and spirit.
Call back our hearts to heaven's outstretched
arms of flesh.
Then, in your mercy, make us merciful.